lectio-divina:: the book of job

I just finished reading through the book of job.
as I read through it this time, I come away with some reflections:

God was never angry with job, although all of his friends thought that He was. God was actually proud of job. that’s why He mentioned him to satan in the first place. and that brings up another reflection: we assume that if something bad happens, then God is angry. when 9/11 hit, we assumed that God was angry with America. when the earthquake hit china, Sharon stone got in trouble for suggesting that it was karma for their involvement in Tibet. when Katrina hit, all kind of people were saying that this was God’s judgment against new orleans’ wild living. and when job lost everything in a day, his friends assumed that God was judging him for some sin- but God wasn’t. God was thrilled with job. what if we did not assume that God was angry the next time a crisis hits? isn’t it interesting how FEW people feel that this current financial crisis is NOT God’s judgment against America and her greed?

something else: for the advice-givers-
job’s friends seem to be great guys. they come and stay with him while he is going through a rough time. they sit silently and listen to him for days. then they start telling him what they think about the whole thing. some of the things that they say are inspirational and sound so true- but they are not. what they say sounds true, and feels true, but its not true. they are convinced that what has happened to job is because of his sin. they are certain that job’s troubles are the result of God’s anger and judgment- but they’re not. job didn’t sin- and God wasn’t angry with him. at the end of the book, God says to job’s friend eliphaz, “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant job has.” he tells them to go to job and ask him to pray for them. God doesn’t like it when we don’t speak accurately about Him- it makes Him angry. we do it all the time. we rattle off ideas that sound right and feel right, but they aren’t right at all. and it doesn’t help. we interact with people going through pain and we give unsolicited advice about why its happening- but those words can be reckless. when we interact with a hurting person- we need to consider our words carefully. the way we speak accurately about God is to be aware of how He has revealed Himself in scripture.

so if God wasn’t angry with job, and if job didn’t sin? why is he suffering? job can’t see the entire picture. neither can we when we suffer. God wanted to glorify Himself and He wanted to reveal the strength of job’s character. those are both wonderful things to be a part of. what if we had that attitude when we are going through a trial? thinking that, “maybe God is glorifying Himself right now” or “maybe God wants to reveal what is buried within my character and help others?”

when satan first comes to God he says that job only worships God because God has blessed him- take away the blessing, and the worship will end. could that be said of me? of you? of America? we might get to find out.

chapters 38-41 of job are some of my very favorite in all of scripture. before those chapters are talk-talk-talk. job’s speeches, his friend’s speeches, job’s questions, his friend’s answers- and then in chapter 38, “the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind.” I love how the NIV translates God’s opening line, “who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.” God goes into question after question about who created the majesty of creation. God goes into detail about how He created sunsets, stars, oceans, continents and animals. He goes on and on about donkeys and ostriches. He mentions wild goats and oxes in the same speech as sunlight. its like an ancient version of “planet earth.” God was fascinated by creation long before the discovery channel was. if He delights in creation shouldn’t we?

last bit- I found this encouraging- job 5:17-ff

“but consider the joy of those corrected by God!
Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin.
For though he wounds, he also bandages.
He strikes, but his hands also heal.
From six disasters he will rescue you;
even in the seventh, he will keep you from evil.
He will save you from death in time of famine,
from the power of the sword in time of war.
You will be safe from slander
and have no fear when destruction comes.
You will laugh at destruction and famine;
wild animals will not terrify you.
You will be at peace with the stones of the field,
and its wild animals will be at peace with you.
You will know that your home is safe.
When you survey your possessions, nothing will be missing.
You will have many children;
your descendants will be as plentiful as grass!
You will go to the grave at a ripe old age,
like a sheaf of grain harvested at the proper time!

“We have studied life and found all this to be true.
Listen to my counsel, and apply it to yourself.”
good job eliphaz.